Doug tells us about Susanna M. Salter
My friend Doug has a long history of writing guest posts for me, and I can't have a themed series without him. A few weeks ago, he texted me saying "I just learned about Susanna M. Salter. Ha! Those guys played themselves." I had never heard of her, so asked him to write up a quick thing about her. And here it is!
Susanna M. Salter: America's First Woman Mayor
Have you ever pulled a prank that went really, really, crazy-stupid badly and changed the nation forever? No? Then ya basic, because that's exactly how America got its first female mayor.
In 1887 a group of men from Argonia, KS. who probably would've loved the 'Bring me a sammich' joke from a few years ago decided it would be hilarious if they snuck a woman's name on the ballot so that when she lost the election, women would know to stay out of politics. This was a town of less than 500 people. They were reaching. I'm speculating here, but alcohol may have been involved.
Bathtub 'shine + politics = feminist progressive ideals.
The obvious target was the daughter of the city's first mayor, and wife of the city clerk, Susanna M. Salter: an activist in the Women's Christian Temperance Union, the Prohibition Party, and an acquaintance of Carrie Nation. Fucking whoops.
On election day the Temperance Union, as well as the local Republican party, asked her that if elected would she accept the office. To this she promptly said, 'What?' No one had told her about the clever prank. Her people voted for her en masse, and she took office that evening.
She made international headlines, and the New York Sun, after reporting on her dress and hat, noted that she presided with decorum and straight body-checked any irrelevant discussion, making her a good parliamentarian.
She made $1 in her only year in office, but in 1887 that's probably like 'Open a Sea-World' money.
She passed in 1961 at 101-years-old, because truly bad bitches die hard.
Want more Doug? Read his reviews of the classics at my blog, Reading Rambo.